Thoughts on writing, fly-fishing, or Brady Coyne? Here's your place to express them--or whatever else is on your mind. Mr. Tapply will check in now and then. He is eager to correspond with vistors of this site.

Comments list started on July 24, 2026
Last post on Wed Jan 13 12:02:03 EST 1999

Welcome to the guestbook. Express yourself!

I like it, Mike. Maybe someday you'll even introduce me to your famous dad... Hmmmm, so do YOU feel any pressure on your writing, being third generation and all....

Pete

Nice work, Michael! Perhaps you'll introduce us to this sage someday. We'll be in Boston at the end of August. Could you set us up?

This is all truly very exciting. Melissa Jota

Pretty interesting. It has given me another thing to say in your bionotes, as well as a list of published works. I think I'll steer all wayward contributors to your essay on invisible writing. So much outdoor writing is, as Bill Humphrey put it in My Moby Dick, "written beautifully, without first being written well." Tell Mike to change "regular contributor to American Angler" to "writes American Angler's 'Reading the Currents' column and is a regular contributor of feature articles to American Angler and its sister publications: Warmwater Fly Fishing, Saltwater Fly Fishing, and Fly Tyer."

What a terrific page. Dan and I have read some of your B. Coyne books and really enjoyed them. Now I have a complete list to work form. We love your daughter (hoops) and have enjoyed her company. We also love that rascal she lives with...some of you out there know who he is and understand. We look foward to seeing you whenever you come to San Francisco to research a trip that Brady must take out of Boston. Until then, we'll just tune in to this page. It's really fun. Janice and Dan

This is very impressive! You must have a wonderful agent!!

I'm impressed. But where's the photo? At least get one of Burt on here. He's the better looking one anyhow.

I like it! Handsome brother, you are! Mike did a great job and I hope it sells lots of books for you.

I'm not so comfortable with Coyne driving a Bimmer if I can't.

new england patriot's football rules!!!!!!!

Where can I locate a copy of "Those Hours Spent Outdoors?

It is a great book!!!

Nice letter, and thanks for the mention. Guess we'll be dreaming about Montana together now that we've had our first Winter storm around here, and not being especially interested in trying to see midges at the end of a #7 tippet with these over middle age eyes, nor as you know, dredging nymphs, I've closed the trout season down until Spring.

So now on to my first excursion into rod building, my continuing fumble with fly tying, and reading the works of W.G. Tapply (the one thing I do well) which I look forward to with great eagerness.

To Mr. Tapply,

As a divorced attorney with some of the same vices as Brady Coyne including several ex-wives and a fourteen year old duaghter, I can only tell you how much I enjoy the Brady Coyne series. I have many friends who enjoy this type of material and I cannot understand why Brady has not escalated to the level of Spencer and Jake Lassiter. Anyway, keep up the very fine work as there are many fans of BC.

Hi Mike...As a long time friend of the Ehgott family I have read your dad's books with great interest. Enjoyed the Brady Coyne series very much, although hard to find in Miami. My best to your Mom and family.

Happy holidays, Alan

Mr. Tapply, Thank for the many hours of reading enjoyment. Brady is my all time favorite character, and you... my favorite author. Looking forward to many more hours with you and Brady!

Nice work, Mike! Congratulations, Dad! Looks good!

Your stories hit home as I'm originally from Concord. Paul Steele (Lexington High teacher) lives across the street from my folks. My Dad started me fishing in the salt, (Hull & Plum Island) but Paul, during the summer, took his son and lucky buddies often to Heath's bridge to fish. I'm 32 now and when I visit home and I've got a free hour, I fish the waterfall where Warner's Pond empties and use popping bugs for bluegills and bass. Anyhow, when reading your stories, its nice to visualize precisely where Brady is fishing or having dinner. If you are in NJ and want to fish the surf (Sandy Hook to Island Beach) drop a line. I'm not much of dry fly fisherman, but enjoy tying saltwater flies, and getting into the increasing numbers (for now) of stripers, blues, weaks, and false albacore. Keep up the good work!

Bill, I do reviews for several papers - have read and reviewed your previous books. I enjoyed Cutter's Run and will be reviewing it for several, one of which is the Bangor Daily News in Maine. Do you have a Maine background? Did you do any research or spend time in Maine for the book? I'm looking for a further Maine angle for that paper. Thanks.

Mr Tapply: I am a librarian @ Somerville Public Library. You came and spoke -most kindly, once a few years ago. I love your books , for writing, fishing lore and characterization as well as setting. Your charming and attractive son Michael, came to the lib. a few weeks ago and gave me your e-mail. Would you consider coming to Somerville Public Lib. again? Please keep writing and giving us all so much pleasure! Yrs, Josie

Mr. Tappley, I have enjoyed all of the Brady Coyne novels that I have read. I have had difficulty finding copies of The Snake Eater and The Seventh Enemy. Any suggestions?

Dear Bill:

As an old high school friend and neighbor (and sometime mystery buff--starting with Agatha Christie in junior high), I couldn't resist signing your guestbook. After stumbling on an ad for Death at Charity's Point in the NY Times Book Review in 1984, I have enthusiastically awaited the arrival of each new Brady Coyne mystery. By the way, I've read them all, and even bought a few--eight in hardback! Upon occasion, when I didn't see or hear of a new book for a while, I was afraid you'd brought a close to Brady's career. Fortunately, I discovered today while browsing the internet that Brady (and you) are still very much alive and well.

You will recall that I have stopped in at a couple of your appearances in Bethesda, MD and on the Cape a few years ago. Since it looks like you will be on the Cape when we are in early August, I'll try to come by and pick up Cutter's Run. By the way, my mother is still living on her own in Barnstable (she turned 91 in May and is doing well; Dad died two years ago). Glad to hear your parents are still going strong.

I really enjoyed the website, particularly your personal letter and "Invisible Writing." I remember Mr. Cheever, although I didn't have him for English. I was also interested to hear you're teaching at Clark. Our oldest daughter will be up that way this fall as a freshman at Trinity in Hartford, so we'll get to visit New England a bit more often.

Take care and keep writing.

Jeff Whieldon Washington, DC

I come from Minnesota, but even though it's hard to find your books in these parts, I've read all of them. With such a forlorn yet likable and ultimately successful character as Brady Coyne, it is hard to lay the book down.

I look forward to your latest work, Cutter's Run. If it hasn't shown up on the shelves I'll get it through amazon.com.

My virtual spouse has been glued to the couch for a solid 3 hours, gliding through the pages of Cutter's Run. Fortunately, I've been there, which makes me a patient and compassionate roommate.

Bill:

Vicki, whom I am wooing to represent, referred me to your Web pages. What a super site! Almost makes me want to take up fishin'. One of my clients, Nick Kaufmann, a horror genre writer, co-owns Tell-Tale Books, a bookstore in Brooklyn specializing in mystery fiction. Shall I place him in touch with you for possible future signing?

BTW, I liked Vicki's THE DEAD STONE immensely.

All best,

Jim

I found your book A Fly Fishing Life at the local library. After reading chapter three(Panfish are for kids) I took my four year old,Madison fishing at the local pond and you were right. She loved it! Even though she has landed two stripers and a fluke on her zebco,this was much more fun.

P.S. I hope that I can find more of your books.

Did you teach at Lexington High School? Was it history? I believe I had you for study hall where I used to tutor Ronnie Lee, Lexington High's basketball phenom. Have really enjoyed your writing over the years...Brady Coyne is truly a permanent fixture in mystery and crime fiction. Enoy writing myself...wrote a film review for an art society until recently although I am primarily involved in the business world (own a Ford dealership and an auto wholesale/export business). Just finished Cutter's Run looking forward to more of Brady Coyne. Best of luck.

Dino Romano

Mr. Tapply Just a few comments to say how much I've enjoyed your books over the years. I've read about half the Brady Coyne mysteries and all the outdoors books. As a matter of fact, the first of your books that I read was "Those Hours Spent Outdoors" and it in turn led me on to the BC books. Any chance of you coming to Newfoundland at some point? We have great fishing for Atlantic Salmon, Brook and Brown Trout as well as lots of Grouse. Another question, I have enjoyed the Grouse hunting stories in THSO and wonder if you will follow them up with another book of hunting stories, a la Burton Spiller? Best wishes.

I'm curious as to whether the movie folks have optioned any Brady Coyne mysteries and whether any movies have been made, or are being contemplated. As a big mystery buff (Matt Scudder/Larry Block and Spenser/Parker are my other favorites, along with Coyne/Tapply), and possessor of the entire Wolfe/Stoute ouevre, Hammett, Chandler, both MacDonalds, etc., I often wonder why Hollywood can't find time to make more of these fast-paced stories into movies, instead of the car-crash & explosion-filled "actioners" they churn out by the gross. Is it because the mystery authors want too much for the screen rights? (Hard to imagine, given the astronomical sums that some original screenplay writers receive.) Or is that nobody is particularly interested?

Hi Bill Nice Picture. It's been a long time since the writer's group got together. Any thoughts about setting up another? I hope things are well with you, Vicky and the dog.

What a delight to find this site. I am a recent convert to the Brady Coyne mysteries and was instantly hooked when someone gave me The Spotted Cats. I read it in one sitting. I've been working my way through the rest and was thrilled to find out there are more than I knew about. Also, as an aspiring mystery writer, it was a serendipity to fine "Invisible Writing" and Mr. Tapply's book on writing mysteries. I will be on vacation in Massachusetts in January and hope to attend his appearence in Sommerville. Thanks for this wonderful site on one of my favorite authors.

Thanks for "Invisible Writing" and the bookshelf full of good work. I've enjoyed my Christmas holiday with you (and my family)

I have read allthe Brady Coyne Mysteries and always look forward to the next one. I suggest that you start with his first and enjoy the development of the characters and themes. Aspiring writers MUST get a copy of his "How to Write a Mystery Novel" which is perhaps the best of its kind. Sportsman's Legacy is an inspirational book that has helped me become a better "fishing buddy" for my son. Thanks Bill (and Tap)

I only recently discovered Cutter's Run at the library, and am now working my way through the rest of the series (just started Void in Hearts this morning). We are in our second week of a deluge of snow and ice in N.E. Ohio, and it's nice to have a stack of good books. I'm enjoying Brady Coyne immensely, even though I do not golf or fish. My 8-year-old loves both, however. By the way, who's Burt? is going down!
datasnouts <9netave>
- Wednesday, February 10, 2026 at 20:14:26 (GMT)